The present invention refers to the technical field of extraoral dental radiography, and particularly to a device alternatively performing panoramic radiographies, cone beam volumetric radiographies of facial skeleton and cranial teleradiographies. All these types of radiographies are well known in the art.
Panoramic radiography (also known as orthopantomography) produces a radiographic image of a curved plan approximating patient jaws, with blurring of the anatomical structures laying outside a narrow layer around the predesigned curved plane.
Cone beam volumetric radiography (also known as CBCT) is the acquisition, from different projection angles, of a series of bidimensional radiographic images which will be processed post-acquisition to reconstruct tridimensional volumes.
Teleradiography is a projective radiographic technique, producing radiographic images of the skull or of other anatomical areas from different projections, with minimum magnification and geometrical distortion. Usually two perspectives are represented, latero-lateral and anteroposterior.
Generally on the market two types of equipment are available: a first type is panoramic equipment, alternatively performing panoramic radiographies and teleradiographies, and a second type dedicated to CBCT volumetric radiography. These equipments are expensive and cumbersome.